03 The Older (genealogical) Gods (gods and the heroes of the Babylonians)
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This article is from the Assyro-Babylonian Mythology FAQ, by Christopher B. Siren cbsiren@hopper.unh.edu with numerous contributions by others.
03 The Older (genealogical) Gods (gods and the heroes of the Babylonians)
Apsu - the underworld ocean, masculine. The begetter of the skies
and the earth. The father of Lahmus, Lahamu, Anshar and Kishar. He
could not quell the noise of them or their children. He colluded with
his vizier Mummu to silence the gods and allow Tiamat to rest, after
Tiamat rejected the idea. Ea found out about his plans, cast a sleeping
spell on him and killed him.
Tiamat - primeval Chaos, bearer of the skies and the earth, mother
of Lahmu, Lahamu, Anshar, and Kishar. The clamor of the younger gods
disturbed her, but she continued to indulge them. When Apsu and Mummu
suggested that they kill the younger gods, she grew furious, calmed down
and rejected the plan. Her restless subservient gods goaded her into
action after Apsu is slain. They prepared to wage war against the other
gods. As Mother Hubur, the underworld river, who fashions all things,
she bore giant snakes with venom for blood, and cloaked dragons with a
godlike radiance yet with a terrible visage, for the war. She rallied a
horned serpent, a mushussu-dragon, a lahmu-hero, a ugallu-demon, a rabid
dog, a scorpion-man, umu-demons, a fish-man, a bull-man, and eleven
others underneath her champion, Qingu. She gave Qingu the Tablet of
Destinies to facilitate his command and attack.
Marduk came with his host to attack her. Quingu's strategy initially
confuses him, and Tiamat tried to enspell him, hurling jibes at him.
She was rebuffed and incited into single combat with Marduk. She
continued to cast her spell and Marduk netted her, and threw a wind at
her. She tried to swallow it and was undone - distended, shot, sliced
in two and cut in the heart. Her crushed skull heralded her death, and
half of her skin was used to roof up the sky. Her eyes became the
sources of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
Lahmu and Lahamu - 'the hairy one' or 'muddy' they have three pairs
of curls, and are naked except for a triple sash. They were the first
children of Tiamat and Apsu. Kappa was sent to fetch them by Anshar, to
help send off Marduk on his fight with Tiamat and be rallied to his
side. They complied and helped find a princely shrine for Marduk
Anshar - 'whole sky' He is the father of Anu and the child of
Tiamat and Apsu. He is often paired with Kishar, and his qualities were
assimilated with Ashur. When Ea learned of Tiamat's planned war, Anshar
tried to stir him into attacking her first, but was rebuffed. He turned
to Anu and sent him on a peace mission to Tiamat, but Anu returned
unsuccessful. An assembly was convened and Marduk came forth at Ea's
urging, promising to deliver Tiamat's defeated body to Anshar's feet.
He required of the assembly a promise that he would be given the
leadership of the pantheon after he is victorious. He had Kappa gather
Lahmu, Lahamu, and the other gods together to send off Marduk on his
fight and rally them to his side. When they arrive they help find a
princely shrine for Marduk.
Kishar - 'whole earth' , She is the mother of Anu and the child of
Tiamat and Apsu.
Anu - Sumerian for "heaven", a sky god, father and king of the gods.
He is the son of Anshar and Kishar. He lives in the third heaven. The
Eanna in Uruk was dedicated both to him and consort. His first consort
was Antu. They produced the Anunnaki - the underworld gods, and the
utukki - the seven evil demons. His second consort was Innina (Ishtar).
He is a god of monarchs and is not friendly to the common people. He is
a "King of the Igigi". He is assigned the sky as his domain in
'Atrahasis'. His 'kishru's (shooting stars) have awesome strength. He
has the ability that anything he puts into words, becomes reality.
He is Niudimmud's (Ea's) father.
He calls Adapa to account for breaking the wing of the South Wind, and
offers him the food and drink of eternal life after Dumuzi and Gizzida
speak on Adapa's behalf.
He agrees to send the Bull of Heaven after Gilgamesh on Ishtar's
behalf, if she has made sure that the people of Uruk are properly
provisioned for seven years. He decrees that either Gilgamesh or Enkidu
must die for the slaying of Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven. He sends
Kakka to Kurnugi to tell Ereshkigal to send a messenger to receive
a gift from him.
When Anzu stole the Tablet of Destinies from Ellil, he called for one
of the gods to slay Anzu and thereby greatly increase his reputation.
He gave Marduk the four winds to play with. He made a whirlwind and a
flood wave and stirred up Tiamat on purpose. When Tiamat's retaliation
for Apsu's death was discovered, Anshar sent him on a peace mission to
her, but he returned unsuccessfully. He helps form a princely shrine
for Marduk prior to his battle with Tiamat, and gives him the Anu-power
of decreeing fates, such that his word is law.
He and Earth father the Sebitti. He gives them fearsome fates and
powers and puts them at Erra's command, to aid in killing noisy,
over populous people and animals.
Symbol: sacred shine surmounted by the divine horned cap.
Sacred number: 60
Astrological region: heavenly equator
Sacred animal: the heavenly Bull
Antu(m) - Sumerian for "the earth", she is a colorless being who was
the first consort of Anu. They produced the Anunnaki - the underworld
gods, and the utukki - the seven evil demons. She was replaced by
Isthar (Inanna) who is sometimes her daughter.
Aruru (Ninmah, Nintu, Ninhursasga, Belet-ili, Mami) -She is the
mother goddess and was responsible for the creation of man with the help
of Enlil or Enki. She is also called the womb goddess, and midwife of
the gods. On Ea's advice, she acted on his direction and mixed clay
with the blood of the god Geshtu-e, in order to shape and birth seven
men and seven women. These people would bear the workload of the Igigi.
She also added to the creation of Gilgamesh, and, at Anu's command, made
Enkidu in Anu's image by pinching off a piece of clay, throwing it into
the wilderness, and birthing him there. Ea called her to offer her
beloved Ninurta as the one who should hunt Anzu. She does so.
Mammetum - the maker or mother of fate
Nammu - one of "the pure goddesses", Ea's mother, associated with
fresh water.
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